The Federal Executive Council (FEC) chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has restored funding for 13 national health regulators, which were initially not captured in the 2024 budget. This was disclosed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Ali Pate on Wednesday after the FEC meeting, which was held in the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Recall that in June 2023, the Budget Office of the Federation, in a memo stated that 30 agencies would no longer be funded as decided by the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS).
The health regulators recaptured in the 2024 budget are the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria, Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria and Institute of Public Analysis.
Others are Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, Health Records Registration Board of Nigeria, Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria, Medical Rehab Therapists Registration Board, Dental Technologists Registration Board of Nigeria, Optometry and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria and Dental Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria.
According to him, the Council also addressed the correct pricing of syringes, other medical consumables and also set up a committee to review policies hindering the local production of medical equipment in the country.
